Naruto: Fires of a New Dawn
by Renegademelons
Summary: What happens when Naruto leaves to train at the age of 8? What happens when it's the country of Uzushiogakure that trains him? What happens when he meets a wind mistress? NaruTema... Name changed from Raging winds and flowing waves
1. Graduation

A figure leapt out of the tree line landing in a crouch, his hooded head looked up to the gates of the city just a half mile away.

'_Konoha…' _the figure thought. He raised a hand curled in a fist. Lifting up two fingers flicked forward.

On signal, three other figures shot out of the tree line matching his attire.

They stood in a line, crouched, and nodded to each other. Of the four, one seemed much shorter than the others. On a silent command, the four leapt up in the direction of the city.

Saratobi sat, reading one of his favorite little orange books, cursing the paperwork that was his bane since he became Hokage.

The windows flew open and the four figures sped in. They wore a white hoodies but the inside seemed to be red, black baggy cargo pants and black boots. They had hoods covering the uppermost part of their faces. One, Saratobi managed to make out marks that seemed like whiskers, almost like…..

In a flash Anbu stood behind the newcomers with kunais at their necks.

The shortest one stood still, almost like a statue,

"**Geez Ojii-san, five years and this is how you say 'hi' **" he said chuckling in a deep altered voice.

Saratobi's eyes widened in shock as he waved the Anbu off

"N-Naruto?" Saratobi stuttered

The figure raised his hands and removed his hood, showing Sunkist spiky blonde hair, whiskered face and blue eyes. His eyes startled Saratobi, they were blue yes, but lined foggy purple/red.

"Hey old man!" Naruto said cheerfully.

Saratobi pulled the young boy into a hug

"Four years is a long time Naruto-kun" He looked up to face the three others in the room. "I assume these are your escorts?"

"**Hai, Hokage-dono**" the one that seemed to be the leader spoke, he too in an altered voice.

Saratobi raised an eyebrow as the figure removed his hood revealing, not a boy, but a girl, she looked to be 15 or 16, on her forehead was a Hitai-ate, but it had a spiral on it. She had shoulder length red hair and violet eyes.

'_Uzushiogakure' _Saratobi thought seeing the headband.

"You going to be good right Otouto?" The girl spoke ruffling Naruto's hair, he wasn't much shorter, but still pretty short.

Saratobi's eyes widened hearing her call him 'Little Brother'.

"Hai Hai Kono-Neechan" Naruto said pouting.

She giggled at him, he was always so cute!

"Alright we better head home, good luck **Naruto-kun, visit us sometime, ok?**"She said pulling her hood back up

"Okay Neechan, I'll see sometime when I'm around Na-" Naruto began but she cut him off.

"**Otouto remember, our location is a secret for the time being.**" She said before they leapt out of the window.

Naruto smiled as they left.

"Who was that? Naruto-kun?" Saratobi said in a daze as the events before him played out.

Naruto raised his head and looked to the aged Hokage.

"Just some friends of mine…." Naruto said nonchalantly.

"So I take it you've returned to be a Shinobi?" Saratobi said resting a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto nodded.

"Do I _need_to ask if you know the basics Naruto-kun?" Saratobi asked sarcastically.

Naruto sweatdropped and took off his hood, revealing his spiky blonde hair and ocean-blue eyes "I've been taught by my mother's clan, do you honestly think I _need_the basics?" Naruto said deadpanned.

"I suppose not Naruto-kun." Saratobi chuckled. "So you're going to go to the academy now?" he said sitting back down.

Naruto remained standing and grinned at him. "Hell yeah old man, I need to get my headband somehow don't I?"

Saratobi grinned, "Alright Naruto, take this scroll to your old academy room to take the test, class should have just started a few minutes ago. Good luck!"

"Thanks old man!" Naruto said lifting his hood back up and leaping out the window.

Saratobi shook his head turning back to his paperwork _'__**Sigh**__He needs to learn to use the door.'_

**Academy Room 302**

"Alright class settle down" Umino Iruka said calmly to the exceptionally loud class, which kept on talking. A tick mark grew on his forehead as the class kept rambling on to each other.

**(Big Head no Jutsu)**

"**WILL YOU ALL SHUT UP!**" Iruka yelled at the class.

**(Kai)**

He coughed to himself as the class sat straight up in their seats. "Good, today is your graduation exam, first we'l-"he started before he was cut off as the window burst open and a white and black blur shot in the room. The blur stood up and walked to Iruka, a lot of people raised an eyebrow as he and Iruka conversed.

Iruka nodded and turned to the class. "Okay class we have a knew student for today's exam, he doesn't want to be named yet so for now he will be known as Kit." Numerous murmurs were heard throughout the classroom.

"Hey Iruka-sensei why does this dobe get to sit out the lectures and we don't!" Kiba called.

A deep voice that sounded to foreign to be the boy sounded, if they didn't see his lips move they wouldn't have thought it was him.

"**Calm yourself Inuzuka Kiba. It is not like I haven't been trained.**" He said. Kiba's eyes were wide at the sound of him.

Iruka looked at him a little shocked, he was definitely different, then again, he was hiding behind a mask right now.

More questions sprang up in the class.

"Why does he get special treatment?"

"What's he look like?"

"Why is his voice like that?"

"troublesome…."

"Class class! Calm down!" Iruka said waving down the class. "Good, now we can get on with the test." Iruka said pointing Naruto to sit down by Sakura who was on the right of Sasuke.

Naruto walked to sit down and noticed that Sakura was bugging Sasuke to go on a date with her.

"Comon Sasuk-kun, just admit that you like me already" Sakura said waving her hand around.

"Sakura will you shut up, you're annoying" He said in an annoyed tone.

"Sasuke-kun…" Sakura began to make another attempt.

"**Miss he doesn't wish to go, so please stop**" Kit spoke in his deep altered voice.

A vein bulged in Sakura's forehead, "WHY YOU…!"

"Sakura! We have a test to take!" Iruka scolded her.

"Yes Iruka-sensei…" Sakura said quietly, taking her own test.

"**Iruka-san, I'm done**" Kit spoke holding up his test.

"That's impossible Kit-san this…"He said looking at the test. His eyes widened as he looked back and forth between Kit and the test. "H-how is this possible? You got then _all_ right!" Iruka said a mixture of pride and shock in his voice.

Kit shrugged before standing, "**I will wait outside then**"

As Naruto walked outside, he sighed, and thought to himself about how easy this was now, with all the help he received this was almost nothing.

He said in the tree that held his old swing and begun to think about all the memories he had.

About an hour later the class filed out for the taijutsu portion of the test.

The group lined up around the taijutsu arena, while Naruto still sat, hidden in the tree.

Iruka stood in the middle of the group. "Okay class, now is you're taijutsu test, you will be allowed to use whatever weapons you carry on your person, but _no_ninjutsu whatsoever." The group chorused a 'Hai Iruka-sensei!'.

Iruka nodded before calling the first group. It wouldn't take long before Sasuke was called. A lot of girls cooed at the idea of the Uchiha fighting.

"…You're opponent will be the newcomer, Kit" Iruka said.

"Yeah Sasuke-kun! You can beat him!" Several girls called, while Sasuke stood there, a hand in his pocket, a smirk wide across his face.

"Iruka-sensei, looks like he isn't hear, the dobe probably got scared and ran off." Sasuke said arrogantly, Sakura immediately agreed with him, as did quite a few other girls.

"**My apologies, Sasuke-san, I was merely resting**" a voice called to them as Kit leapt out of the trees. He flip over them and several people 'oohed' and 'awed' landing five feet from Sasuke, the ground around him cracked. Many people looked in shock, they knew of ninja's wearing weight's but this must have been quite an amount to do that kind of damage to the ground.

Sasuke smirked and got into the Uchiha Interceptor stance. Kit raised a hidden eyebrow, he already saw a flaw, the interceptor worked with a Sharingan, without one, you can't anticipate your opponent quick enough to block the blow. What intrigued Kit was the katana strapped to Sasuke's back.

Sasuke continued to smirk as kit merely settled into a basic academy stance. Kit stood facing him but didn't move.

Sasuke grew annoyed. "Are you just going to stand there like a pretty boy or are you going to fight me?" Sasuke taunted. Kit chucked in his altered voice.

"**I apologize Sasuke-san, but I **_**don't **_**swing that way**" Kit joked. All the boys burst out into laughter as the girls and Sasuke glared with hate.

Letting out a savage war-cry Sasuke charged him, throwing a punch towards his hooded face. Kit sidestepped catching his fist with his right hand. Before Sasuke could react, Kit used Sasuke's momentum, bringing Sasuke's fist down under him, flipping Sasuke over.

"One point to Kit, remember 3 points to win" Iruka said raising a finger on his left hand. Sasuke snarled leaping to his feet charging Kit. Sasuke brought up his leg to kick him. Kit ducked under it throwing a punch at Sasuke's leg. Sasuke jumped out of the way before charging, launching yet another kick, this time to Kit's face. Kit ran at him, sliding on his knees under the kick, ducking his head back almost to his heels, his hood falling off his head.

Several gasps resounded as the recognized the unhooded blonde, whiskered face of Naruto. Naruto stood before them, smiling.

Standing in a new stance he held his left palm sideways and in front of his face while holding his right fist up to his face.

"Come on Sasuke-teme. Is that all the little Uchiha's got?" he taunted his voice normal now. Everyone gazed at his eyes. They were ocean blue but around the edges were a foggy red/purple.

Several girls yelled loudly at Sasuke's beatdown, Iruka raised a hand silencing them.

Sasuke growled at Naruto, fixating his eyes in hatred at him.

Screaming his hatred to the world, Sasuke charged with a swing at Naruto's face. Naruto spun under Sasuke, slamming his wrist into Sasuke's chest. Sasuke bent himself over in pain.

As Sasuke clutched his stomach in pain, leaned over, Naruto leaned back flicking his right leg up performing a back handspring, his foot colliding with Sasuke's face. Blood flew out of Sasuke's open mouth as he flew back, landing hard on the ground.

He raised another finger on his left hand. "2-0 for Naruto" He said happily.

Sasuke rolled up to his feet and got back in his interceptor stance.

"COME ON SASUKE-KUN BEAT THAT BAKA!" Sakura yelled.

Sasuke charged savagely sending another swing at Naruto's face. Naruto twisted, punching Sasuke right in the bicep. The two actions put more force on Sasuke's arm. His arm flew back as Naruto continued to spin. Naruto jumped as his spin was completed, locking both his knees on either side of Sasuke's head.

Arcing his back down to earth, then crunching his stomach, Naruto forced Sasuke to flip. Tumbling him, smashing his head on the ground, while launching him rolling on the ground.

"It's over" Iruka called. "Winner, Uzumaki Naruto!" He called out. All the guys and newly made 'Naruto-fangirls' cheered, while select few kept quiet, except Sakura, who yelled that Naruto cheated.

"IRUKA-SENSEI! IT'S NOT POSSIBLE! SASUKE-KUN IS THE BEST, THAT BAKA COULDN'T HAVE WON!" Sakura screeched. Naruto's blade packed itself back into its hilt and he put it in its holster on his right leg.

"Forehead, Naruto won, get over it!" Ino said to her staring dreamily at Naruto, who felt a shiver go down his spine seeing her look at him like that, it was down right creepy.

"Uhhhh…" Naruto said backing away slightly.

"Trust me she get's more and more troublesome everyday." Shikamaru whispered in Naruto's ear behind a hand.

"WHAT WAS THAT SHIKAMARU!" Ino yelled at him.

"Troublsome woman…"

**SMACK!**

A large brick hit Shikamaru, knocking him down to the ground.

Naruto sweatdropped, why did girls always gain sudden strength when you piss them off?

"Alright Class settle down, we should begin the weapons portion of the test, before we perform the ninjutsu portion" Iruka said calling the class over.

The class stood at attention in front of the target posts.

"You'll go one at a time, I'll score you with bull's eyes being ten points, the second ring five, third two, and since there are ten targets you can get at most a hundred points" Iruka said holding up a clipboard. "I'll give you bonus points if I see anything cool" He said again cheerily, confusing the class to what he meant.

"Alright then, first up, Aburame Shino" He said, Shino stood up and walked to the line to throw his ten weapons.

About half an hour later, Sasuke was called. He smirked; he would show the dobe his place here for sure.

_Flashback_

A 7 year old Sasuke stood before the group, panting. On the target dummy, ten shuriken impacted the dummy scoring a near perfect.

Next to him, Naruto stood, looking down trodden. As his shuriken lay, mostly, all over the place.

Several students laughed at him, while the teachers failed him and wrote him off. Sasuke smirked as many people praised his abilities.

_Flashback End_

Sasuke stood ready holding his shuriken and kunai.

In a flash Sasuke's arms arced, letting lose the weapons. Nine out of ten hit dead center, while the last hit the second ring.

Sasuke frowned, it wasn't perfect, it wasn't good enough.

"Excellent work Sasuke, 95 points" Iruka complimented writing down his score. "Last but not least, Uzumaki Naruto" Iruka called out.

Sasuke smirked, he couldn't wait to see the 'dobe' fail miserably at this.

Naruto stood, legs in a wide stance, holding his fist full of shuriken up with his arms cross before his face.

The wind around Naruto's fists began to spin, faster and faster.

Disks of blue chakra appeared on the shuriken, spinning so fast it became visible. Naruto grinned.

Everyone shielded themselves from the intense winds with their arms.

Naruto let out a cry as he unleashed the shuriken at his targets. As they rotated on the shuriken, the blades of chakra expanded.

The shuriken impacted the targets, but to everyone's shock, did no stop there, they passed right through, slicing the targets in half by a line right through the bull's eyes. All ten targets cut in half.

Sasuke's eyes were wide with fury, _'How can that dobe be so strong? While I! An Uchiha! The elite! Am not!'_

Iruka's clipboard clattered to the ground, his jaw slack.

"W-What?" He stuttered out.

"It's simple _Shape Manipulation_" Naruto said shrugging it off. Everybody stared at him in awe, except three people.

'_Orochimaru will want to know about this'_ The white haired chunin thought to himself.

'_Danzo-sama will be most intrigued' _A pale boy thought. His original mission had been to observe the Uchiha, but this new boy was certainly more interesting.

Regaining his composure and his clipboard, Iruka spoke,

"Well done Naruto, one hundred and fifty points" Iruka said smiling.

Kiba, and several other boys cheered and gave Naruto high fives, while others proceeded to protests Naruto's abilities.

"Class! Okay Class settle down!" Iruka called trying to calm his class.

**(Big Head no Jutsu) **

"**SHUT UP ALREADY!**"

**(Kai)**

The class stood at attention, stock still, scared to death by their teacher.

"Okay class, now let's return to the classroom for the Ninjutsu portion of the test." Iruka said, the class begun to head indoors until,

"Iruka-sensei, shouldn't we be outside incase we have any jutsu that can destroy the classroom?" Naruto said raising his hand.

"Uhh Naruto? Would you like to go first?" Iruka asked nervously.

"No I will go first!" Sasuke said firmly and arrogantly sticking his arm out in front of Naruto.

Naruto raised an eyebrow but nodded he was okay with it. Iruka nodded and said

"Okay Sasuke, go" Iruka said pulling out his clipboard and pen.

Sasuke's hands whipped through the hand seals. His hands ended on a tiger seal, and he sucked in a breath,

"**Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu**!" He called out and unleashed his breath. A fireball, three meters in diameter flew out of his mouth. The fireball ripped through the clearing, destroying a small grouping of trees.

Girls cheered on their idol, some of the civilian students cheered, while a few couldn't decide whether or not they liked Sasuke or Naruto better.

"Excellent move Sasuke" Iruka said, entirely impressed at Sasuke learning an offensive jutsu. Sasuke's chest puffed out as he turned to walk back to the group of students. "Alright Naruto you next" Iruka called out.

As Sasuke walked by, he shoved Naruto in the shoulder, who just kept grinning as he walked.

Naruto struck up a thinking pose,

"Hmmmm, a fire jutsu huh…" Naruto said still in his thinking pose "….. C-Rank Offensive…" Naruto said again, then his hands blurred out. "….Let's take it up a notch! B-Rank….**Katon: Karyū Endan!**" His chest puffed and he exhaled.

Fire ripped through the sky in the form of dragon. The torrent of fire danced it's way around the academy, dying the sky around them red.

Eyes stared up in awe at the dragon flying about. Once the fire dissipated the seconds ticked by, no one spoke.

Iruka was the first to break the silence.

"W-well done Naruto!" He said stuttering to his full out compliment. He quickly wrote down his notes keeping a record of Naruto's mastery of the jutsu.

Sasuke's fist clenched, blood, trickled down his knuckles as his nails pierced his skin.

The rest of the test continued without question, Iruka handed out headbands to everyone. Outside students gathered as their parents congratulated them. Naruto stood on the roof, his hood up, covering his face. He smiled as his body vanished in a yellow flash of shimmering light.

* * *

**Alright guys I wanna know what you guys think so review or I may not continue this story**


	2. Dinner at the Saratobi Complex

**Alright Chapter Twooooooooo, all you people that like to write mean reviews, I really dun need it, thanks anyways though!**

* * *

**Saratobi Complex**

A flash of light appeared as a soft boom was heard. A hooded figure stepped in the gates and headed towards the main house.

He stood before the main door, raising a hand he knocked three times. The door opened and a bearded man dressed in jonin attire with a white sash opened the door. He looked at Naruto questioningly and couldn't exactly speak.

"Uhhhh….?" He stood to the side, looking back into the house and said "Dad, someone's at the door." From what he could see, the tall jonin could see the figures lips curve into a smile on his face.

A scurry of foot steps could be heard inside the house and an old man dressed in robes appeared at the door.

He rolled his eyes at the antics of the hooded figure. Raising his arms in a welcoming gesture he said in an exasperated tone,

"Naruto-kun, do you have to wear that hood all the time?"

The figure chuckled. The chuckle was deep, unnatural,

"**Hehe Hey Oji-san**" The figure said sheepishly, reaching up to remove his hood. "You know not a lot of people like to see my face," Naruto smiled at the old Hokage "Plus I can play jokes like this all the time!" He said in a mischievous tone.

The tall jonin stood, awkwardly, in the doorway as the two conversed.

"Ah yes, Naruto-kun, this is my son, Asuma." Saratobi said holding his hand out indicating the tall jonin. Asuma held a hand out in greeting to Naruto, who took his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Naruto-san" Asuma said.

"No need for the formalities Asuma, Naruto hates that" Saratobi said chuckling. Naruto grinned ever more widely as Saratobi said that. Asuma looked at Naruto, sure he knew the stories of the jinchuriki, but this kid seemed so kind, but his smile seemed too much like a certain female snake loving jonin.

"Naruto-kun you're just in time for dinner come in, come in." Saratobi pulled in the two shinobi. Naruto smelled something that made his nose tingle. He smelled ramen, freshly boiled miso.

Naruto walked into the dinning room awkwardly being ushered by the aged leader. Saratobi Biwako, Hiruzen the old Hokage's wife, smiled as she as Naruto and Asuma entered the dining room. Naruto's eyes widened when he looked to the dining table. He saw bowls full of ramen, plates of rice and dumplings, and platters of chicken and other vegetables. His jaw slackened and drool form in his mouth as his tongue rolled out of it. Biwako laughed at the look he showed at the sight of the dinner table. Asuma raised an eyebrow at him, before lifting his hand under Naruto's chin, and closing his jaw, snapping him out of his stupor.

"Asuma-kun, Naruto-kun, sit down sit down," She said pulling out chairs, she looked through the door's to the living room and called "Konohamaru! Dinner!"

As Naruto and Asuma sat down a young boy with spiky brown hair, a long green scarf, and goggles came crashing down the steps and in the door.

"Naruto-Niichan!" he yelled when he ran in and plopped in his seat.

"Hey Ko, what's up?" Naruto said ruffling the kid's hair. Asuma smiled at the sight of his nephew making friends with other children. Asuma shook his head and reached out for a chicken dumpling.

**Slap!**

"Wait for your father Asuma!" Biwako said sternly waving a threatening finger in Asuma's fearful face, his eyes cross, following her finger as if it were an angry wasp. Naruto and Konohamaru burst out laughing. Naruto clutched his sides from the pain of laughing, Konohamaru fell out of his seat and rolled on the floor laughing. Hiruzen chuckled as he walked through the door and smiled at Biwako, who laughed openly at her son.

Hiruzen sat down at the head of the table while Biwako sat at the other end. Asuma sat to Hiruzen's right, while Naruto and Konohamaru sat to his left.

Naruto and Konohamaru both raised their chopsticks and chorused.

"ITADAKIMISU!" the bowed their heads and ravished their bowls, making slurping noises as they practically inhaled the ramen, not noticing the whooshing sound as a pair of wooden chopsticks flying threw the air.

**Clack! Clack!**

The sound rang out as the wooden chopsticks impacted their heads, knocking them out of their seats. Biwako's hand was outstretched as she was the one to throw the wooden eating utensils, a look of absolute rage written on her face.

"EAT WITH SOME PRIDE YOU TWO!" Biwako said sternly to the two children, who were nursing their heads where the chopsticks hit.

"But Baa-chan! It's ramen! Food from the gods!" Naruto argued dramatically, pouting to add to the point.

"AND I'LL BE SENDING YOU ON A ONE WAY TRIP TO THE GODS IF YOU KEEP EATING LIKE THAT!" Biwako said. Naruto paled and steadily ate his food more slowly, visibly straining himself to refrain from devouring the bowl. Asuma and Hiruzen chuckled, at least, until Biwako rounded on them two.

"AND YOU TWO! YOU SHOULD BE SETTING A BETTER EXAMPLE ASUMA NOT EATING DUMPLINGS BEFORE YOUR FATHER EVEN GETS HERE!" She said very sternly, Hiruzen chuckled at his son's plight, "AND YOU!" She rounded on Hiruzen "SHOWING UP LATE FOR DINNER! I HAD TO STOP YOUR SON FROM SNEAKING SOME EARLY MUNCHIES!" She waved another set of chopsticks around menacingly.

"Now now Biwako, think rashly please" Hiruzen pleaded with his wife as if she was holding a kunai, but face it, she could throw those things pretty hard. Once he said it, he immediately regretted it, as she now glared furiously at him, chopsticks poised to be unleashed at him.

Naruto and Konohamaru had their hands over their mouths, seeing Hiruzen totally wrapped around Biwako's finger was just too funny. Asuma himself was having trouble containing his own laughter, while his relationship with his father wasn't the best of all time, spending time with him was definitely a night full of laughs.

**Knock Knock!**

The eldest Saratobi rushed to the door as the knocking continued. He opened the door to find a frantic looking chunin.

"Hokage-sama! Mizuki stole the Forbidden Scroll of Sealing!" the Chunin said in a hurried voice. Saratobi's eyes widened as he heard this.

"Once just once, can't we have a full dinner, with out some village crisis," Biwako sighed exasperated, "the third shinobi war, the Kyubi attack **(That's actually how it's spelled)**, Asuma's mid-life crisis"

"Hey!"

"Oh dear you know it's true, and now this GOD DAMMIT!" she threw her arms in the air before trudging back in the kitchen to get boxes to preserver the dinner for another day.

"Asuma! Naruto! Find Mizuki and retrieve the Forbidden Scroll!" Saratobi said holding his hands behind his back. Naruto and Asuma shot out of their seats. "This is a B-rank Mission, understood?"

"Hai Hokage-sama!" the duo said at attention. Asuma faded out of existence to join the search.

"Naruto, I'm allowing you to use your bloodline for this, that scroll contains too many kinjutsu and is far too dangerous, you'll need that power to retrieve it."

Naruto nodded raising his hood, once again altering his voice.

He spoke in a commanding tone, chakra focused on a spot on his shoulder. A glowing blue flame appeared, similar to the Anbu tattoo.

"**Kurayami**" he said in his altered voice. His hoodie, once white, turned to black, the inside, however, remained crimson. Now dressed in all black, Naruto's body flickered, as if a projected image, before disappearing into the night.

* * *

**Great another chapter leading onto another chapter, alright it was more of a filler chapter, just for some relaxful times, just having battles and fights all the time isn't as fun as if the characters actually HAD lives, I got the idea for the whole stealth suit thing where people had stealth suits from some cartoon.**

**Translations:**

**Kurayami - Darkness**


	3. Just another Day at the office

**Here's chapter three guys, sorry it took so long, schools such a pain right now, comment, review, the usual, DON'T BE A DICK WHEN YOU REVIEW HONESTLY WE DON'T NEED FLAMES HERE GUYS**

* * *

**Konoha**

Naruto flew over the rooftops of Konoha, his black apparel making him nearly invisible in the night. He stopped, crouched on a tree branch, looking for any sign of the thief Mizuki, he found none. The branch swayed as he took off again. Naruto sighed, not even a Ninja for twenty-four hours and already on his first high ranked mission.

He landed on a tree branch along the forest outskirts of the village. He took a deep breath, feeling the fresh oxygen flow into his lungs, he turned his head to the side, he happened to land next to a beautiful, raven colored haired kunoichi. She had red eyes, untaimed long hair, dressed in only red mesh and a dress made of bandages. She looked at him with a cocked eyebrow.

"Aren't you a little young for a B-rank mission?" she said with concern. _'After all, no shinobi I know dresses like that, so he has to have just graduated, what's a fresh out of the academy genin doing out here.'_

"**Order's from the Hokage, I'm supposed to be assisting on this mission**" He said. She was a bit taken aback at his voice.

"Uhhhh…."

"**Oh my voice is like this because of a seal on my hood, you think we should be heading out there then? Kunoichi-san?**" he said pointing a finger into the forest, the memory of the mission at hand came flooding back into her mind.

"Oh right! Let's go!" she said, leaping into the forest, Naruto in tow. "Mind if I as who you are?" she said calling to her side where Naruto jumped from tree branch to tree branch. Naruto proceeded to do a back flip as he flew forward, his hood flying off his head as he landed. She was shocked, he looked so young, but the whisker marks easily identified him. _'The container?'_

"Uzumaki Naruto miss?" he said in a non-serious innocent way.

"Yuhi Kurenai" she said looking back ahead, _'Not exactly what I expected.'_ Naruto pulled his hood back over his head, before speaking up.

"**Maybe we should split up, cover more ground**" He suggested to her, she nodded before taking off to her right, disappearing into the forest sections.

'_Where is he?'_Naruto thought to himself scanning the area around him. His eyes snapped to one particular spot. He flipped mid leap, landing in a crouch, his right hand out bracing himself. He moved his hand over the ground, feeling every bump and depression. _'He was hurried, frightened, he walked shakily almost too cautiously'_Naruto thought, interpreting the footprint. His head shot up, hearing a noise, his instincts took over. He spun his body, rotating it as he leapt up over a bush, before taking off in the direction he heard the sound.

He prayed this was what he would find Mizuki, he didn't necessarily wanted the glory, but that scroll, that scroll he learned at technique from, it was sort of a going away present from the Sandaime…

_Flashback_

"_Patience Naruto" Sandaime said as an ecstatic Naruto bounced around his office. Saratobi smiled sadly at the sight of Naruto, what the village was doing, what the village was doing was unforgivable, what they did to this child, but he couldn't do it, he couldn't NOT forgive them, they were his village, his people, he would forgive them in a heartbeat._

"_Are you really? Are you really going to give me a 'super awesometistic' birthday present?" Naruto said calming down, not sure whether he would be given his present._

"_Of course Naruto why would you think that I wouldn't?" Saratobi asked, a little shocked._

"_Because that one lady said the same thing, and she wasn't very nice to me like she said she would be….." Naruto said solemnly._

_Saratobi felt his heart fall, this boy was so innocent, but his village was so vengeful._

"_Naruto-kun, I would never lie to you." Saratobi said in all earnest. He knelt before Naruto resting a hand on his shoulder, "Just watch, someday I'll be calling you Hokage-sama, just like you call me now." He said grinning._

"_What are you talking about Jiji, I never call you that….." Naruto said deadpanned. Saratobi sweatdropped, oh yes how could he forget, it was always Ojii-san, or old man, or Hokage-Jiji, or just plain Jiji, how could he forget the constant informality, it was almost insulting._

_Flashback end_

Naruto's eyes opened as he finished remembering that wonderful day. Naruto cracked a small smile as he continued on into the forest. He knows the strange stuff that's in that scroll, if you don't do things right you're dead.

"WHY MIZUKI? WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?" he heard the voice of Iruka, the chunin who was so nice to him when he was younger, call out. Naruto took off in the direction of the voice, he flew through the air, landing near a large cleaning, where his instructor Iruka sat on the ground near a shed, kunai and shuriken stuck in the wall of the shed as well as in some parts of his body.

Naruto's body was pinned to a tree, he held his back to it, waiting to see if Iruka needed any more help.

The laughter of Mizuki sounded throughout the clearing,

"Why..Heh…Hahaha…HAHAHA WHY? BECAUSE IRUKA THIS GOD-FORSAKEN VILLAGE! THAT'S WHY! ALL THEIR STUPID IDEALS, THEIR INTOXICATING LAWS, THAT STUPID OLD HOKAGE!" he ranted on, Naruto's fist clenched when he heard how Mizuki insulted the man who came to be Naruto's grandfather, "WORST OF ALL THEY STILL KEEP AROUND THAT DAMNED DEMON!" Naruto froze, his eyes wide with shock, "THEY STILL KEEP THAT THING AROUND, SURELY YOU UNDERSTAND IRUKA THAT DEMON KILLED YOUR PARENTS, MURDERED HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE!" Naruto slid down the tree trunk till he sat there, knees bent.

"_**sigh**_…..you're right Mizuki, the demon did do all those things," Naruto's heart fell, a tear slipped from his eye. _'So he's just like them, maybe, just maybe this once someone else in this village would accept me, but he hates me too….'_

"But not Naruto! Naruto is my student, maybe not for the whole time, but I have pride in him, he's a strong shinobi of the hidden leaf village!" Iruka said firmly, "He's also my little brother! So if you ever call him a demon! You'll have to deal with me!" Naruto's eyes were even more wide than before, tears freely falling down his cheeks.

"I warned you he's a demon Iruka, now you've just thrown it all away!" Mizuki said, a large shuriken in his hand spinning. He leaned forward, his hand back ready to throw the whirling weapon. Until…. a soft sonic boom rang through the clearing as a bright yellow light burst out of thin air forming into a hooded black garbed figure. The figure grabbed the side of Mizuki's head with his hand, and slammed it into the tree, sending his shuriken off into the night.

Another soft booming noise, and the Naruto appeared again but in front of Iruka. Mizuki shakily got to his feet, before standing firm.

"You damn bastard! Who are you!" he yelled at Naruto. Naruto reached up removing his hood. Mizuki's eyes widened, as did Iruka's. "You…YOU! I'll KILL YOU!" He yelled.

"Naruto…." Iruka let out a shocked sigh.

"Touch Iruka-sensei…..and I'lll KILL YOU!" Naruto snarled out. Mizuki only looked at him before bursting out in laughter.

"You? Kill me? As if brat, with this new technique, I'll kill you easy!" Mizuki scoffed arrogantly. "**Kage-bunshin no jutsu!**" Mizuki called out and a clone appeared to his side, the two snarled at Naruto. "Comon brat, show me what you got!"

"Really? Shadow clones? Only one? Pathetic." Naruto said shirking him off.

"ARGGHHH WHY DON'T YOU JUST DIE!" Mizuki screamed, charging forward. The both of the two Mizukis pulled a fist back to punch Naruto in the face. Naruto smirked as he watched the fist approach his face.

"NARUTO GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Iruka screamed Iruka was a fully trained chunin, Naruto a mere academy graduate genin, had no chance against him. On top of that, Mizuki just learned a B-rank kinjutsu!

Naruto continued to smirk as Mizuki's fist came nearer and nearer. Naruto thought to himself, '_3…..2…..1…'_just as Mizuki's fist was about to contact his face, Naruto's body disappeared as a circle of yellow light flashed from where he disappeared. Mizuki, shocked by the lack of contact from the punch, stumbled forward Naruto appeared again in a shimmer of yellow light and a soft sonic boom from the expanding air waves from his sudden appearance. Naruto appeared with his legs bent, his fist flying upward in an arc, slamming Mizuki's stumbled over face in a jaw shattering uppercut. Mizuki's body blew back, blood spurting from his nose. As he flew through the air, he grunted and thought _'So fast…How?'_He was knocked out of his thoughts as another boom signaled Naruto's teleportation and reappearance. This time beside Mizuki in mid air, spinning himself with his arms extended and fists clenched, slamming one of them into Mizuki's face, again, sending him hurdling into the ground, knocking him out, blood flowing freely out of his nose. Mizuki struggled to get back to his feet.

"Just give it up _Teme _I'm taking you in" Naruto said camly, "It's over, you know I'm too fast for you." Mizuki sat up against the tree panting.

"H-ho-how are you so fast!" Mizuki stuttered out.

Naruto chuckled, "Maybe you'd recognize this a little better" Naruto said, holding up a three pronged Kunai. Mizuki and Iruka gasped. _'That Kunai'_ they thought simultaneously.

"It's a Kekkei Genkai" Naruto said looking down at the Kunai in a small smile. "But that's that, I'm taking you in Mizuki!" Naruto said throwing the Kunai. Mizuki thought fast as the kunai approached. He brought out his own kunai, poised to knock away the legendary thunder god Kunai, but was beat, as Naruto appeared grabbing the kunai, throwing a punch forward.

Mizuki smirked as Naruto's fist froze, mid punch, his eyes wide, he looked down to see his midsection, impaled, by Mizuki's Kunai.

"Looks like your technique isn't so special." Mizuki spat out. Naruto begun to chuckle, which turned to full blown laughter, "What's so funny you damn demon!" Mizuki snarled annoyed by his seeming ignorance of the knife which stabbed his abdomen.

"What's so funny? Hehe you think that I would really fall for something like that petty kunai knife?" Naruto said grinning, his eyes clothes as he spoke the magic words of his jutsu "**Bunshin Daibakuha**" He said calmly.

Mizuki's eyes widened as he leapt back to avoid the coming storm. Not fast enough however, as Naruto's body exploded, spreading the area around in hot fire, engulfing Mizuki in the inferno.

"Uhhh…Maybe I over did it?" Naruto said sheepishly scratching the back of his head as he walked out. Iruka sat there, jaw agape. Naruto knowing so many advanced techniques was a little much. He chuckled as he clutched his leg, the pain from being hit with the kunai, coursing through it. "Always something eh? Iruka-sensei?" Naruto said with his hands on his hips as Iruka chuckled yet again.

"Just help me so we can go see the Sandaime" Iruka said deadpanned. Naruto sighed and picked up the scroll of seals before walking over to Iruka, who he strung up, one arm over his shoulder, allowing him to lean on Naruto, as they walked out of the forest.

Unknown to them, a slim figure, with crimson red eyes smiled as she disappeared before the Anbu arrived to take away Mizuki's burnt form.

**20 Minutes later: Saratobi's office**

Iruka and Naruto trudged in the office, Iruka slightly annoyed at Naruto, seeing as how he took every chance to tease Iruka about being saved by a genin. Every time was followed by a bonk to the head courtesy of Iruka's clenched fist and a verbal yell fest by the fabled 'Big head no jutsu'. The aged Saratobi smiled as the two walked in.

"Ahhh Naruto-kun, Iruka-kun, I assume you have my scroll?" Saratobi said indicating the scroll on Naruto's back. Naruto looked at him with a questioning look before the presence of said scroll dawned on him.

"Uhhh…OH CRAP YEAH!" He said flustered. He pulled the scroll of his back before handing it forward towards the Hokage. He placed the large scroll in Saratobi's open arms, who placed the scroll back in it's vault, before addressing Iruka and Naruto.

"Iruka, Naruto, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you not to tell anyone about the mission that took place tonight, I've already informed all participating shinobi." Saratobi said firmly, sitting back down in his seat behind his desk. "What happened is simply too delicate to be let out in the open."

"Hai! Hokage-sama" the duo chorused. Saratobi nodded, dismissing them, before turning his head to his desk and smiling.

"Yes Kurenai-san?" he said looking down to his paperwork as Kurenai stepped in the window.

"Hokage-sama" She said calmly. "I want to be his sensei…." She continued standing before him.

"May I ask why? I mean you know who he is." Saratobi said setting away his paperwork and taking a puff from his pipe. Kurenai sighed as she looked at him.

"Hai, Hokage-sama… but I feel it would be good if I did train him, I know Kakashi-sempai already requested him and the Uchiha, but I feel that Kakashi would only leave him and the girl out training only the Uchiha." Kurenai said, looking down, not bearing to face the Hokage. "It just doesn't feel right, he's just a child, going out there, probably to his death-" she was about to continue but was cut off as Saratobi raised a wrinkled hand.

"Kurenai-chan, you must understand, that boy is like a grandson to me" Saratobi said, Kurenai looked up to him.

"Then you would understand that I want to _help_him not just use him to help the Uchiha" Kurenai stated, almost yelling. "That boy will die on his very first mission outside the village Hokage-sama!" Saratobi cringed, this was probably true, the council most likely ordered Kakashi to train only Sasuke, while leaving the other two genin to fend for themselves. "The genin Kakashi would leave behind need to at least have a shinobi family to train them."

Saratobi sighed, why did he have to get landed with this dumb job. _'Naruto-kun, hurry up and take over for me' _he inwardly grimaced. He picked up a roster sheet, he had the teams laid out already, but now as he looked at it yet again, he couldn't help but understand where Kurenai was coming from. _'Team 7, Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, Uzumaki Naruto' _it was overpowered, Naruto being rookie of the year, Sakura, Kunoichi of the year, Sasuke, the second best.

"I think we did some remodeling don't you think Kurenai-chan?" Saratobi said a bit sarcastically as he stood. "But now we must attend the council meeting." He held his arm out to the door as they exited, heading for the council room.

As they walked through the doors, the room was already packed with multiple jonin-sensei who were to take their teams standing above the Konoha leaf symbol with was engraved into the ground in red marble. Above them, in a half circle, was a single large seat, made for the Hokage, on either side, two more for the Hokage's advisory council, and three seats on either side for the six Shinobi clan families, the Aburame Clan, the Akimichi Clan, the Hyuga Clan, the Nara Clan, the Yamanaka Clan, and the Inuzuka Clan. Several more seats were added for Civilian council members, as well as missing seats for clans such as the Saratobi, mainly because the clan head is currently the Hokage, Uchiha, who are all dead but one, Senju, whose last member is currently 'out of town', Namikaze who have 'died out', and Uzumaki, though the last clan many didn't want that particular clan member to arise to the occasion. Saratobi took his seat at the big chair along with his team roster.

As the room quieted, Saratobi spoke, his voice full of authority as he spoke to the Jonin standing to attention at the center of the room.

"Thank you all for coming as our most recent set of graduating students have been arranged into teams. All of you will pick one team, to test and pass or fail, remember many of you won't have a team pass." Saratobi lifted up a paper and called out. "Hata-" he was cut of as a heavily bandaged man made his voice heard.

"Hokage-sama, many of us would like to know what team the _boy_ his placed on" Danzo said in a sickly calm voice. Several civilians called that the boy shouldn't even be placed on a team.

"Maybe it is best that you wait to see who picks him then, hm?." Saratobi said, taking a puff from the pipe that was in his mouth. "Now moving on, as per tradition, Hatake Kakashi will pick his squad first, being that he has completed the most missions."

"Hai, Hokage-sama" A tall man with silver hair and a black mask stood forward, "I would like a team consisting of Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and Uzumaki Naruto, a frontline assault team" he spoke.

Hidden from Saratobi's gaze, his two advisors, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura, smirked, they and the civilian council had ordered Kakashi to train only the Uchiha, disregarding the other two.

"I'm sorry Kakashi that is not the team roster, if you would look at the one in front of you please." Saratobi said calmly gesturing to the list before them. It read:

_Team 1: Deep Cover, Recon Hitakara Ami, Mako Nazumi, Izayoi Maki_

_Team 2: Medical: Kitahara Hanako, Negumi Arashi, Nami Roki_

_Team 3: Currently in Circulation_

_Team 4: Tracking: Sato Shinji, Hitako Takura, Takeda Mamoshi_

_Team 5: Frontal Assault: Sato Suki, Miramoto Sui, Aki Yumi_

_Team 6: Information Gathering, Recon: Makoto Nagano, Himura Torifu, Unagi Mito_

_Team 7: Frontline Assault: Haruno Sakura, Inuzuka Kiba, Uzumaki Naruto_

_Team 8: Tracking: Hyuga Hinata, Aburame Shino, Uchiha Sasuke_

_Team 9: Currently in Circulation_

_Team 10: Recon, Sabotage: Yamanaka Ino, Akimichi Choji, Nara Shikamaru_

Several eyes widened as they gazed at the team listings.

Kakashi was the first to speak, "Very well I shall take Team 8 consisting of Uchiha Sasuke, Aburame Shino, and Hyuga Hinata, tracking unit" he said with confidence.

A civilian council member from a wealthy merchant clan raised his voice,

"Hokage sama, what good would putting Uchiha-sama on a tracking unit, wouldn't he be better off on a frontline assault unit?"

"What good is a tracking unit if they don't have any heavy hitters to back them up when they need it" Nara Shikaku spoke up lazily, showing his Nara genius ability weighing against his own civilian quieted down after hearing that, he couldn't contest against a ninja when it came to reasoning on the battlefield.

"Hokage-sama shouldn't Uchiha-san be placed with Inuzuka Kiba, being that Uchiha-san was rookie of the year and Inuzuka-san was the deadlast? It would balance out the teams better" Koharu spoke wisely.

"Ah about that, Uchiha-san _wasn't _rookie of the year, he was second place." Saratobi spoke, warranting cries of outrage and indignation from the civilian council. "ENOUGH!" Saratobi roared out slamming his hand down on the table before him "Uchiha-san _wasn't _rookie of the year, someone was stronger" He spoke.

"If I may ask Hokage-sama who was rookie of the year then?" Inuzuka Tsume spoke out from her clan seat.

"Uzumaki Naruto of course" He said proudly. The room was dead silent at this revelation, Saratobi was rather shocked by it, he half expected people to call for his death.

"How if I may ask, is Uzumaki so strong?" Danzo asked yet again.

"He was selected to be trained by a group of strong shinobi, seeing that he was not strong enough, took it upon themselves to train him." Saratobi spoke "before anyone asks he was trained by Ninja of Uzushiogakure"

"But that's impossible, Uzushio was destroyed before the Third Greatt Ninja War" _'I made sure of it' _Danzo Inwardly thought to himself the last part.

"It has long been since rebuilt by it's survivors." Saratobi finished for them "I have already begun talks of treaty with their leader."

"Hokage-sama why would 'such powerful ninja' as you call them, take such interest in the de-_Uzumaki boy_" Another member of the civilian council, who took it upon himself to make Naruto's life as miserable as possible spoke. Before Saratobi could respond, the doors were flung open, as a average height young girl with violet eyes and red hair done up in a bun walked in, wearing gold and black armor, inscribed with Kanji, and two katanas strapped to her back which led into a small circular device, that was about a foot in diameter. (**A/N Think Ulrich's pack when he get's two swords that like shrink into his pack, Uzushio was a city full of seal masters remember**, **as for the armor, think Naruto's armor dragon blade chronicles, but instead of going over one shoulder, the orange armor is like a vest for her, and all the orange parts are gold, also NO ONE HAS THE SCROLLS THAT LOOKS UGLY!**)

"Sorry I'm late you old geezer" She spoke to Saratobi cheekily as she walked in.

"You were supposed to be here an hour ago, where the hell have you been?" Saratobi deadpanned. He was sure she was related to Kakashi somehow.

"Saw a cat stuck in a tree" she said with a large smile. Oh yeah definitely related to Kakashi.

"It took you an hour to get a cat from a tree?" Kakashi spoke with familiarity.

"Yeup" she replied still smiling.

"I like this girl" Kakashi spoke trying to put an arm around her in a friendly manner.

"Back off creep I'm Sixteen" she said glaring daggers at him.

"Saratobi who is this?" Koharu spoke pointing to the girl. Saratobi chuckled as the Girl burst into fits of laughter, confusing the entire room of people.

"Name's Kalakaua Uzumaki Kono, member of the Ryu Junishi, as a matter of fact, I think Naruto was selected to be a Ryu Junishi" she said tapping her chin with her index finger. "And to answer your first question, look at my name stupid, _Uzumaki _figure it out yet? That kid is one of us, well sorta, he still wants to be Hokage, and a Shinobi of the leaf, no matter how much our grandmother asks him to be Uzushio."

"Are you sure we can trust the Uzumaki boy Saratobi, what if they polluted his mind?" Danzo said "You should allow my to train him, to make sure he is loyal to Konoha." _'then I'll get my weapon.' _

"He is perfectly loyal, I made sure of it Danzo" Saratobi said smiling. "Kono-chan, go check on your friend, I'm sure he's at the ramen stand still, Ichiraku's" said girl shrugged before turning to leave, waving a hand behind her goodbye.

"I want that _boy_ off my daughter's team Hokage-sama" The Haruno clan head spoke up, while a Civilian council member, several shinobi were sure she had a bloodline ability, after all, who can shriek that loudly other than her?

"I'm sorry Setsuki-san, but per tradition, the rookie of the year is teamed with Kunoichi of the year and the deadlast, hence your daughter and Tsume-san's son, no offence Tsume-san" Saratobi said.

"None taken you old goat." She replied haughtily.

"Yes thank you, now onto the team selections. Gekko Hayate." Saratobi spoke out.

"I'll take Team 4, Sato Suki, Miramoto Sui, Aki Yumi, frontline assault." The sickly looking jonin spoke out, completely devoid of the coughs he used to seem weaker then he really is.

"Very well, Saratobi Asuma." Saratobi spoke as his son stood forward.

"I'll take Team 10, Yamanaka Ino, Akimichi Choji, Nara Shikamaru, Recon and Sabotage." He spoke calmly.

Saratobi marked his pad with the team's names and listed their sensei.

"Yuhi Kurenai" Saratobi spoke once again, looking towards the red eyed genjutsu mistress.

"I'll take Team 7, Haruno Sakura, Inuzuka Kiba, Uzumaki Naruto, frontline assault." She spoke looking the eldest Saratobi in the eye full of determination and fire. He smiled kindly to her, she shied away, unable to meet his gaze. He chuckled, writing down Kurenai's name next to Team 7.

"Kurenai-san I would like to ask you to protect my daughter" Setsuki spoke up again.

"Protect your daughter from what _Councilwoman_ Haruno-san?" Kurenai asked sarcastically.

"From that _child_" She spoke out viciously. Saratobi was about to tell her off, but was beaten to it as Kurenai jumped the gun at the councilwoman speaking out against her student.

"And why would your daughter need protection from a loyal Konoha Shinobi and a mere genin _boy_" She said emphasizing 'boy'.

"YOU KNOW WHY BITCH THAT BOY HAS THE KYUBI IN HIM!" Setsuki screamed blowing a gasket, forgetting the law Sandaime had created.

"Anbu, arrest Councilwoman Haruno and escort her to the prison for a two week sentence, normally I should execute you, but being that you are a council member, a two week sentence should serve as a reminder." Saratobi spoke, glaring at her as Anbu appeared pulling her out of the room.

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME I NEED TO WARN MY DAUGHTER!" She screamed as she was lead out of the room.

"Hokage-sama, maybe it would be best to reassign the Uzumaki child," Danzo spoke "maybe I could train him to-"

"No my decision is final, I will not have you strip that boy of his humanity" Saratobi spoke waving his hand sharply to silence Danzo.

"Hiruzen think rationally, that boy needs to be controlled." Koharu spoke in a voice of mock pleading, which did not go unnoticed by Hiruzen.

"No that boy is well in control of his demon, as well is a strong shinobi of the leaf as it is!" He said, "This council is overstepping its boundaries, I will assign the rest of the teams as I see fit." He said dismissively as he stood to exit the room.

"Hokage-sama you can't do that!" a civilian council member shouted.

"I can't?" Saratobi said rounding on him. "Tell me what does a _civilian_ have the right to interfering with Shinobi dealings such as team placements?" He said. As no answer came, he smirked. "I didn't think so." He said as he left the room of stunned people behind.

"Man shit's just hit the fan" Shikaku Nara groaned as he rested his face on his open palm. _'Just another day at the office' _he thought to himself.

* * *

**Yay done... Review please, and don't post up any bad criticism I don't need to deal with assholes telling me not to write. Keep it to yourselves.**

**I'll probably post something up later explaining Naruto's Kekkei Genkai...I'll leave it up to a greater explanation later in the story though**

**Just realized I never translated.**

**Ryu Junishi - Dragon Guardians  
**


	4. New toys, Old Memories

**Alright here is another update...a really short one, it's kind of just to explain something that's happening to naruto**

* * *

**Konoha**

Kalakaua Uzumaki Kono walked through the main street of Konoha that lead away from Hokage tower. She gazed around her, seeing people look at her with kind eyes that never showed for her friend. She smiled back at most of them half heartedly. She couldn't help but be a little upset at them, after all, while they smile at her, they don't smile at Naruto, showing prejudice for something you don't have any control over, is just plain ridiculous. Several things caught her eye as she passed by shops and stands on the sides of the road, but felt little to no desire to purchase anything as most stores wouldn't allow one of her closest friends, almost a sibling, to enter, let alone purchase anything. Her hand glanced over her belt, it's black ballistic cloth with metal Ryu Junishi belt buckle. Her fingers ran over a seal that ran along the side, subconsciously tracing the ink that made it. Inside, seated within it's pocket dimension, a black box, which held a dark crimson katana, sealed so it was the size of a small tanto. _'A present, for graduating'_ she thought to herself as she saw her destination in sight. She grinned as she walked towards the small stand where two people sat at the counter, one in a forest green chunin vest, and one in a white hoodie.

"Ojii-san! Another bowl!" she heard a familiar youth call out. She smiled at the cheeriness of his voice, it made her feel warm inside that he was happy, she cared for him, not as a lover, but more as a sister loving a brother, anyone that hurt him would pay and pay dearly.

"Naruto! You've had ten bowls already! Isn't that enough?" Another voice pleaded, she thought it was the other chunin, treating him to the ramen he was eating, probably learning now that his stomach was practically a black hole, and he was burning his way through the poor chunin's wallet. She giggled, frankly she just couldn't help it.

_Flashback_

_Thirteen year old Kono and nine year old Naruto walked down the main road from the training grounds in Uzushio. Kono held Naruto's hand as they walked. Naruto having only arrived a few months ago, was still shy of the people around Whirlpool. Her stomach clenched as she thought of what the people of leaf have done to him._

"_Where do you want to eat Naruto-kun?" Kono asked, stopping at a corner where three roads intersected, other than the one they came, one leading towards the main marketplace, the other, to the high class restaurants. Naruto looked down each road, not sure of what he wanted to eat._

"_Mmmmm, do they have ramen around here?" He asked innocently. She smiled as she nodded a soft "Mhm" before tugging him along behind her as they made their way through the market place. She slowed to a stop with Naruto stopping next to her. She saw Naruto look up to the sign that had a picture of a ramen bowl followed by the stores name out of the corner of her eye and her grin grew wider. She pulled him in, sitting him down on the stool next to her as they ordered. She looked over the menu, not sure what she would get, taking a sip of water, she nearly choked on it when Naruto ordered four bowls of miso ramen._

"_Naruto, don't you think four bowls is a bit much?" she asked him sarcastically. 'No _WAY _he can eat that much' she thought to herself ignorantly. Much to her shock and sadness, the second the four bowls were set down in front of Naruto, he said a quick 'itadakimasu' and immediately started dug in, wolfing down bite after bite. It only took him around forty-five seconds to finish his first bowl! The chopsticks in her hands clatter to the countertop as she stared wide eyed at him, already gorging his fourth bowl. _

"_Ossan! Another four please!" Naruto called out, stacking his four bowls. Kono was knocked out of her stupor by this statement. _

_She shook her head, shaking away the shock and said,_

"_N-Naruto-kun please eat lightly, I'm still a genin!" She cried out, almost pleadingly. He let out a soft "huh?" as she spoke and turned to her,_

"_What do you mean lightly?" he asked her with frustrating ignorance. His eye brow raised, his hand holding his chin as he look at her. She stared at him with lightning bolts shooting from her eyes. He blinked, once, twice…._

"_ARE YOU KIDDING ME NARUTO! EIGHT BOWLS? EIGHT GODDAM BOWLS!" She blew up at him, he cowed against the wall behind him. The bill itself was enormous._

_Flashback end_

She chuckled lightly to herself as she stood behind the left wall at Ichiraku's. She straightened her back, and stepped within the curtain of the ramen stand.

"Naruto!" She said rather loudly, as said boy choked as he heard the familiar voice ring out beside him. He whirled around to face her in his seat.

"KONO-NEECHAN!" He exclaimed as he stood up to hug her. She smiled as she hugged his smaller form.

"How ya doing Naruto? I heard you graduated!" She said to him, patting the top of his head with her hand. He grunted and pouted rather childishly.

Iruka looked on, as the mysterious to him redhead spoke to Naruto with such familiarity.

"I'm not a little kid anymore Kono!" He exclaimed with indignation. She giggled at him, holding a hand over her mouth to try and hide it.

"You'll always be a little kid to me shortie!" She said again, standing up to her full height to show the full head's height difference between them. He stuck her tongue out at her playfully. "I got a present for you kiddo." She said tapping the seal on her belt. A puff of smoke, and a black box with the spiral symbol of Uzushio engraved on it appeared in her hand. "Congrats on graduating! You earned it!" she exclaimed, holding the box forward to him. He stared at it, his face beamed as he took it and hugged her again.

"Thank you Neechan!" He said into her armor. She smiled again at the sight of him. Iruka chuckled to himself, still wondering who the teenager was.

Naruto stepped back and held the black box up as he opened it, revealing the small red tanto. His eyes widened as he looked at it.

"Is this…is this what I think it is? Neechan…" He said, as tears brimming in his eyes as he looked at the small weapon.

She said, "It's yours, I know you'll make me proud." as he drew the blade, revealing its sealed length, Naruto gazed at its shimmering blade, the engraved dragon that ran up either side of it, the dark shape that would soon begin to glow. "Go on, seal it, make it yours" She said, patting him on the shoulder as if ushering him on. Naruto nodded, as he channeled chakra into the blade. The dragon that ran from the hilt to the tip of the blade, begun to glow blue from the base as the chakra made its way along the dragon. Soon the dragon was full and its brilliant glow remained. Naruto smiled as he held up the blade.

"What are you going to name it Naruto?" Iruka asked the young boy.

"Name it? Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked him questioningly.

"Of course! Every good sword needs a name!" He said as if it was painfully obvious. Naruto looked back down to the blade.

"Okay" he said making up his mind, speaking the words that came to him as he gazed at the blade. "Horyu! Dragon fire!" he exclaimed. The sword glowed again, as if showing it's content in it's new name.

"Horyu…" Kono restated as she smiled softly. _'You'll grow up to be a great man someday Naruto-kun…." _Kono thought to herself.

* * *

**Woooo okay, another update coming soon...Read and review guys...don't be assholes as you do it either.**

**Translation**

**Horyu - Dragon fire**


	5. The Test

**Konoha: 6 Days Later**

"Again" Kono spoke to a panting Naruto, who was holding his glowing blue katana. Naruto grunted, as he leapt forward at a clone of Kono. He brought his right shoulder down along with his sword so he spun as his sword sliced through the air in the momentum of his spin. His left arm flew out, planting itself on the ground. Using his left arm as a kind of brace, he launched out a kick at the clones head with his right leg. The clone grabbed his leg calling out.

"You'll have to do better than that Naruto!" It said to him. He growled his annoyance and spun, using his captured leg as a pivot point. He crunched his stomach and slammed his left fist into the clones head. The clone fell to the ground, it was a water clone, as in, kill shots are the only thing that will dispel it.

"Nice job Naruto!" the real Kono called out from the sidelines.

"How was that. A nice job. I only got one hit!" He said trying to catch his breath.

"Yeah but that's one more than you've _ever_gotten off me huh!" She said cheerily. His glare shot daggers at her, annoyed. He turned his head to the sky, the sun showed it was about nine. His eyes widened as he figured out what time it was, as well as the day.

"SORRY NEECHAN I'M LATE!" he called as he dashed off to the academy for team placements. He would have used his teleportation ability, but he was under restriction from the Sandaime once again. He sighed in annoyance as he thought about the inconvenience as well as the fact that it was _so _much slower to run across Konoha on foot. He wondered what team he would be on, hoping to god that he wasn't on _his_ team. He would probably kill the duck haired genin before they even made it to their first mission

The academy fell into his range of vision and he immediately spotted the fourth floor window with Iruka standing before his class. He flew in through the window in the exact same manner he had when he arrived for the genin test. Several students gazed at him, seeing as how he donned on a new outfit. He now wore a different white hoodie, with short sleeves, as well as the sides and under his arms were stripped red. He had his red tanto sized katana horizontal on his lower back (**A/n Picture how Samui has her Tanto**). He had on fingerless black gloves with armor plates on them, as well as his black cargo pants. Two shuriken holsters were strapped to both of his legs as he stood to his full height.

"Sorry I'm late Iruka-sensei" He said as he walked up to take his seat.

"It's okay Naruto, sit down so I can list the teams" Iruka spoke nodding slightly to Naruto, who sat near the window he had just jumped into.

"Alright, Team One, Hitakara Ami, Mako Nazumi, Izayoi Maki…." Iruka begun, Naruto turned his gaze out the window to look upon the sky. He smiled softly as the thought that his parents were out there, somewhere, watching over him as well as _her_.

"Team Seven, Haruno Sakura, Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto looked up to stare at Iruka as he spoke, "and Inuzuka Kiba," Iruka read off his clipboard. Naruto closed his eyes as he let out a small breath. He turned his gaze back out the window and off to the sky thinking about only one person, one person that wasn't there right now.

"Iruka-sensei! Why is a baka like Naruto on my team instead of Sasuke-kun?" Sakura yelled, pointing a finger towards Naruto.

"Sakura, in tradition, the Rookie of the Year is paired with the Top Kunoichi and dead last." Iruka said sternly, waving his finger at her.

Sakura _hmphed_ dismissively, "There's no way _Kiba _was Rookie of the Year."

Iruka frowned, "Sakura, Naruto was Rookie of the Year," Sakura's eyes widened in shock as she turned to glare daggers into the back of Naruto's head, which was still turned towards the window.

In his seat, Sasuke's body started to shake in pure uncontrolled rage. _'How dare he! How dare he be stronger than an Uchiha!' _It didn't take much to set Sasuke off these days, being praised by the rest of the village and the Civilian Council.

"Team Eight, Hyuuga Hinata, Aburame Shino, and Uchiha Sasuke. Team Nine is still in rotation from last year, so the last team for this year, Team Ten, I'm sure you can guess who you are." He lucked expectantly at Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji.

"No Iruka-sensei, No…." Ino whined. He heard the _thud_ as Shikamaru's head fell on the desk asleep. He rolled his eyes and chuckled.

"You're sensei will be here to collect you for your team meetings, I hope you all make me proud." Iruka spoke as he beamed at them as he turned to leave the class. His hand rested on the door knob as he looked back at his students now Shinobi and smiled to himself, _'And I'll be seeing some of you in a few weeks,'_ he thought to himself slyly.

As Iruka left the classroom, the steady chatter of children rose as friends socialized with one another talking about their team assignments.

"Just because you're Rookie of the Year, doesn't mean I'll go out with you Naruto-baka"

The room grew eerily silent as the class toned it down to watch the encounter. Sakura had made her way to were Naruto sat next to the window.

"And I would care….why?" he asked her sarcastically.

"Oh comon baka, drop the act, everyone knows you've had a crush on me since before the academy, so just drop the act and admit it." She stated, not even looking at him, her arms folded over her chest.

'_No way, no way she still thinks I like her' _Naruto thought to himself, hell it had been four years since he even showed his affection for her.

"Sakura, just because I _used _to have a crush on you, doesn't mean so anymore." He said with a half cocked eyebrow. Her eyes twitched in frustration as a vein in her forehead bulged.

"CAN'T YOU JUST ADMIT IT ALREADY!" she yelled at him, the class stared on as if a scene from a movie was being played out before their eyes.

"CAN'T YOU JUST ACCEPT THE WORDS COMING OUT OF MY MOUTH, _I DON'T LIKE __**YOU**_" he said, rising to his feet. Normally, his cool was easily kept, but today, he was nervous, something big was going to happen, he didn't know what or when, he just knew.

Sakura cowered under a gaze she never thought would face her. She backed up until her back came to contact with the desk behind her. He sighed as turned to face the window behind him. _'What is causing this?'_ he thought to himself, what was putting him on edge. It wouldn't take him long to understand, he just wished he had some hint to what could happen.

"Hey Naruto, I know she's annoying but you didn't have to go off on her like that!" Ino said sternly, true, her rivalry with Sakura ran deep, but her friendship once did so as well, seeing her told off just didn't seem right.

"She needs to learn Ino" He said looking to the clouds, "she needs to learn the world doesn't revolve around her," he turned to face them, "We'll go out in to the world and she won't know how to save herself."

He turned to face Sakura, who looked on the verge of tears.

"Sasuke won't be able to save you forever, hell he'll probably even have a hard time saving himself if he thinks he'll be all powerful just by his blood." His face cold and unwavering, "There are people out there who won't hesitate to harm you, to break you. Here in the academy things are different, did you really think that things would be better out there? That you'd cry for Sasuke and everything would be sugar and roses?"

She didn't have anything to say. Nor would she really get the chance.

"Grow up Sakura, before you get yourself killed." With that Naruto returned to his seat by the window. One by one, Senseis dropped by to pick up their teams. A pair of jonin entered the class, the male with a lit cigarette in his mouth called for team ten to follow, while the woman, who Naruto recognized from a few days previous, called for his team.

The silence reveled in their presence as the followed the awkwardly clad jonin. _I would not want to be dressed in that much toilet paper_, Naruto thought to himself.

They made their way to a table outside of the academy.

"We should probably start with introductions. Realistically, it is my first time teaching a genin team, so bear with me." She looked to the girl with pink hair to begin. In return she saw a rather frightful girl. "Okay, I guess I'll start." She continued, "My name is Yuuhi Kurenai, I like dumplings and genjutsu. I really don't like girls who faun over guys all the time." At this she saw the girl flinch, interesting. "And perverts." Dog boy flinched, oh great. "I have hobbies in training and spending time with those close to me." She saw the familiar blonde smile. "Why don't you go?"

"Alright! My name is Uzumaki Naruto! I like training, ramen, and my family! I dislike the three minutes you have to wait for ramen and jerk! My dream is to become the greatest Hokage!" Naruto half yelled. It amazed Kurenai, the boy could be so calm and collected on the battlefield, but here he was child like and innocent.

"You dope!" Dog boy's fist crashed down on Naruto's head. "I'll be Hokage before you even make chunin!" Naruto let out a cry on indignity as he quickly shook off the hit and glared at Kiba.

"What about you then _Dog Boy?_" Kurenai let out a stifle.

"I'm Inuzuka Kiba! I like my neechan, Akamaru and the other dogs from my clan. I dislike arrogant jerks and…._cats._" Naruto let out a laugh, "Shut up Naruto!" Kiba let out a hmph as Akamaru barked his approval, earning him a glare from his master.

"And you?" Kurenai looked hopeful at the lone girl.

"My name is Haruno Sakura." The girl seemed to gain a bit of confidence and quickly became bolstered. "And I like Sasuke-kun!" Kurenai became rather annoyed. Was that really all she liked? How dim.

"And you dislike?"

"Naruto-baka and Ino-puta!" Kurenai let out a sigh and pinched her brows together.

"….Alright then." Kurenai pushed off her seat and stood before her genin. "It is tradition, that I give you a test, to prove if you will actually become genin."

They groaned at the thought of another test but quickly realized that the way Kurenai-sensei was speaking, it sounded like she wasn't going to give them the test!

"And I am rather traditional, so meet me at Training Ground Seven tomorrow! Seven a.m. sharp!" Naruto's and Kiba's heads smacked the table before them in despair. She turned to look at then out of the corner of her eye with her back to them, quickly emitting an ominous aura. "Oh and don't eat breakfast. _You'll throw up._"

She sent shivers down their spines.

* * *

"How did your meetings go?" She said as she sat down with her fellow jonin.

"Alright, I guess I mean, Ino-Shika-Cho trio all over again, but Ino's so bull-headed, she needs to deal with that before she can work with her team." Asuma let out a puff of smoke before turning to her. "You?"

"It was okay at first. I have two dedicated genin at least."

"And the third?" Kakashi queried, sitting down at the table, wisely putting away his Icha Icha.

"Ughh! Don't even get me started. I did the whole likes dislikes and dreams thing right? Wanna know what she said? I like Sasuke." She deadpanned. "No family no foods, just just _Sasuke_." Kurenai stammered on her words as her head sandwiched her arms with the table.

"There there Kurenai." Kakashi patter her shoulder to which he received a fierce glare. Not that he really noticed.

"Speaking of Uchihas, how was-"

"The council couldn't have raised a bigger spoiled brat if they tried." A waiter walked up to their table and laid down several plates of rice, beef, shrimp, or chicken, along with several sautéed vegetables. Kakashi looked up to give thanks before looking at Asuma. "I'm assuming it's the usual." At his nod, the three broke their wooden chopsticks to dig in, and Kakashi lowered his mask. His face was no secret to the jonin of the village, but it was a secret to the rest of the world. "As a matter of fact," He continued, biting on a piece of beef. "I'm sure the council intentionally spoiled him. Maybe if they did he would stay in the village I don't know. But I don't want him getting me killed one day."

"What test are you guys going to do?" Asuma looked up from his plate to look at Kakashi. "You're used to having a frontline assault squad, now that you have a tracking squad what are you going to do?"

"I really don't know, maybe hide some where and read-"

"_Eh Hem_"

"Right errr. Probably hide somewhere and see how long it takes them to find me. It's not like the council will let me fail the team anyways, not with _him_ on it."

Asuma's head bobbed in solemn agreement before chomping down on some vegetables.

"I hope you don't mind Sempai, I'm using your bell test."

"It's okay Kurenai, the test is perfect for a frontline team anyways." Kurenai grinned. She suddenly noticed something. Something….quiet.

"Where the hell is Gu-HMMPH?" A hand suddenly clamped over her mouth

"Ehrm! Don't Jinx it Kurenai!" Kakashi's wide eyes bore holes into her. "I've finally had a lunch with peace and quiet!" He hissed.

"Calm down you two. He's on a mission in Kusa, be there the whole month with his geni-"

"_THE FLAMES OF YOUTH LEE!"_

"What the fuck?" Asuma's chopsticks flew out of his hands. The trio looked around sharply yet he was no where to be seen.

"There is _no fucking way_ that he could yell that loudly."

* * *

Naruto groggily stalked onto the grounds of Training Ground Seven the signs of sleep still clear in his half lidded eyes as he saw Kiba fast asleep against a wooden post. Lying on a sleeping mat twenty feet away was Sakura, curled up in a blanket.

_The phwa?_ How late was he? He looked at his watch. It was only 6:55 a.m. _Maybe they decided to show up early._ He decided. He took up Kiba's example and slumped against a post. It seemed like right when his eyes finally shut into slumber…..

_**POOF!**_

In an instant he and Kiba were on their feet in battle mode. Sakura had quickly shot up, but only into a sitting position, the depositions of drowsiness heavy in the whites of her eyes.

"_Sakura!"_ Naruto hissed at her. She was making a fool of their team! The girl saw their sensei and leaped to her feet to stand by Kiba.

They all looked around without moving their eyes from their sensei. Significant amounts of time had passed. It looked closed to noon already.

"Ahh Good to see we're all finally up." Sakura felt as if the comment was directed at her. "Have you all eaten breakfast?" at the mention of a meal, only Sakura's stomach seemed to react. Her eyebrow raised. Naruto and Kiba must have been trained by their families, she decided, Sakura however….

"Sorry sensei, diet, plus you told us not to eat!" Sakura took up the defense of herself to heart.

"Sakura that was only a suggestion," Kurenai shook her head. "A Shinobi must be well fed and energized at _all_ times." Sakura hung her head. "It is not meant to deface you Sakura, but you must learn the life of Shinobi will not be easy."

She stalked forward, the genin tensed. Good, they remembered there was to be a test.

"You have till noon to complete your task. You must retrieve a bell." Get a bell, not that hard. "While fighting _me_." Aw fuck. They saw two bells on her waist. She pulled out a clock, on it, read 11:30. _Great,_ they only had half an hour to get a bell.

"Get ready to be impressed sensei!" Kiba called out, smacking his fist into his palm.

"But sensei there are only two bells!" Sakura cried out.

"You noticed! Good. One of you….will be sent back to the academy. Come at me with the intent to kill." The three genin's eyes shot wide. "Or you won't even come close." Before they could protest, Kurenai's hand fell on the alarm clock. "Begin!"

Two blurs disappeared before her.

* * *

_Strange_. That was the word she could describe the scene in front of her.

"You did hear me say go right?" She looked perplexed at the boy before her.

"Hiding from a _jonin_? Really?" He looked at her with incredulity. "Like we genin could." He scoffed. Kurenai let out a quick "Hm" at him.

Before she could blink, she heard the sign of a sword being drawn ad a blur zig-zag toward her. _Fast_ she thought, quickly pulling out a kunai to block the slash at her head. At a glance, she quickly saw the familiar wind chakra of her fellow jonin pulsing throughout the katana. _Not good._

Her eyes widened as she quickly leapt away, holding her kunai in front of her. The front half where his sword clashed with her kunai slid to the ground, a perfect cut along her kunai…as well as on her forearm.

"Ne, Kurenai-_sensei_, you'll have to do better than that." She looked to the boy, his hood raised over his face, once again covering the upper half to only reveal a confident smile. She too smiled as she propelled herself forward.

"Shinobi tactics number one….Taijutsu!"

Up! Down! Punch! Slide! Block! Jump! Round House! Her body went into autopilot, immersing itself in the taijutsu battle with the boy. _He was good_ she thought, her body jolted as a blow landed against a little higher than her solar-plexus. _Very good._

The slid apart, Naruto's fist still raised. She smirked.

"You know it's polite to take a girl out to dinner before you try to feel her up." Naruto blanched. _The opening_. In the blink of an eye she was forward, her legged propped high as she launched him into the lake with a powerful kick. _Still a brat_.

* * *

"The seconds tick byyyy." Her voice, sickly sweet carried throughout the grounds.

She walked through a small clearing in the forest of the training grounds.

"_TSUUGA!"_ a whirling tornado flew by her face. She made to dodge it by inches.

She made herself stiff, a haughty smile on her face. Kiba crouched on all fours, Akamaru sitting comfortably in his jacket.

"Is that all you've got dog breath? I thought you were going to impress me?" She mock pouted at him. His temper flared as he charged forward screaming.

"Don't underestimate me! _Tsuuga_!" he began to tornado twist again. Kurenai smirked, holding out a palm, effectively stopping his rotation. He stared at her wide-eyed in fear not even keeping up with her hand signs.

"Shinobi Tactics number two,"

"KIBA LOOK OUT SHE'S GOING TO KILL YOU!" A voice rang out from the forest. His mind jolted into action.

"Ninjutsu. _Katon! Hosenka no Jutsu!_" Small fireballs flew at him at deafening speeds.

_This is it!_ He thought to himself, an inescapable fireball mere inches from his stomach. _I'm going to die._ He solemnly accepted. He didn't think this was forreal.

_**Flash!**_ A yellow light swallowed him as he disappeared in a shimmer and a small boom of expanding air.

Kurenai was left scratching her chin and the 'fireballs' vanished harmlessly through a tree. _Maybe the genjutsu was a little too real_.

* * *

"Stupid Naruto, always trying to steal the show, making himself look good. Cha! I'd rather just keep both the bells, screw those two idiots." Sakura calmed as she sat behind a bush. She needed a way to get the bells before stupid Naruto or Kiba got one. She couldn't be sent back, what would Sasuke say he if he found out?

_Okay, time to bunker down_. She thought.

* * *

_She failed to notice, pitiful._ Kurenai leaned against the tree behind the girl, tapping the crook of her elbow with her other fingers. She sighed once again, it seemed as though the girl would never notice. _Oh well_.

She flew through the hand signs and slowly walked away.

Sakura pulled out a kunai to begin when a croaking summoned her attention.

"Wh-what?" Her eyes wide, tears forming. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sasuke on top of Ino, the duo kissing passionately. She screamed.

"Shinobi Tactics number Three. Genjutsu." She faintly heard, before she herself fainted.

* * *

Naruto pulled himself from the river. His clothes thoroughly drenched. On hands and knees he crawled slightly away from the lake.

"Looks like I'll half to use it." He said, closing his eyes and pulling out a multi-pronged kunai. His chakra, already forming what would have needed handsea- _wait a minute!_ His eyes bolted open,_ two bells! Three teammates! Genin! Jonin! That's it!_

He took off into the forest. Immediately landing by a tree.

"Sakura!" He whispered harshly. The girl jumped and spun around. As her eyes landed on him, she shot him a heavy glare.

"What do _you_ want Naruto?" She hissed.

"A truce, this test, this farce, it has nothing to do with the bells, it's all about teamwork. We work together and we can get them!" He half whispered half shouted. His enthusiasm brimming.

"Hah! As if Naruto. We're Shinobi! Kurenai-sensei isn't like you, she wouldn't come up with a stupid test like that! We're a frontline team, she's testing our skills!"

"Sakura think about it! What chance would a lone genin have against a jonin?"

"It doesn't matter! Even if I helped, you'd probably sell me out to help Kiba and give him a bell!"

"The bells _don't fucking matter!_ It's about teamwork Sakura!"

"Leave me alone Naruto! I've got my own plans to work out!" He let out a cry of frustration and punched the tree, kicking off to find Kiba, faintly hearing her say.

"Stupid Naruto! Always trying-"

He shook his head, zipping through the trees to see what looked like a clearing of some sort. He saw Kiba, knocked on his butt, staring up at Kurenai.

"Shinobi Tactics Number two," Naruto's eyes widened as he saw a tiger sign in Kurenai's hands. _No way_.

"KIBA LOOK OUT SHE'S GOING TO KILL YOU!" He yelled out pulling his hood on.

"Ninjutsu. _Katon! Hosenka no Jutsu!_" He saw the fireballs fly at Kiba, no way he could dodge them! He focused, his body compacting into itself as he visualized the area around Kiba, before expanding and compacting again, this time with a passenger.

The tumbled in heaps of dust flailing about.

"Umph! What the-" Kiba looked around, before seemingly feeling himself up. "I'm alive? HAH! I'M ALIVE!"

Naruto groaned.

"**Ugh, I've never done that with two people**." His distorted voice groaned out as he propped himself on his elbows and cracked his hooded neck.

"Naruto? What was that?"

"**I'll tell you-**_**ugh**_**-later.**" He panted out, sitting up. Their heads shot to the side as a piercing scream rang out from the forest.

"What was that?" Kiba nervously asked.

"Probably Sakura." Naruto said, pulling off his hood.

"We should help her!" Kiba cried, taking to his feet.

"Don't bother." Naruto cracked his neck followed by his back before getting to his feet. "I already tried, she won't accept help from us."

"Dammit!" Kiba yelled, punching a nearby tree.

"Kiba this test is about-"

"Teamwork I know, Akamaru figured out about twenty seconds after she told us the test." Naruto stared at the boy.

"Well_ were _you going to tell me?" Naruto glared at him. "Because I didn't figure it out until I got my ass kicked into a lake."

"Well…"

"I hate you fucking asshole."

* * *

Naruto and Kiba once again flashed into existence, Naruto had taken the chance to explain things to Kiba, whilst forming a plan with him.

Sakura was tied to one of the posts from earlier, her body slumped awkwardly. The bells tied to a not that held her in place. Kiba blinked.

"Hey doesn't that mean she has the bells already?" he leaned over to whisper and Naruto blinked, not wanting to think about it.

"Ju-juh-Just stick to the plan. Get your game face on." he threw on his hood as Kiba extended his claws slightly with a burst of chakra.

"So the heroes arrive to save the damsel in distress." The sickly sweet voice Kurenai had put on came as she walked out from behind Sakura's post. "Well come on boys, come and get her."

Naruto and Kiba charged forward, weaving in and out with each other. Kurenai whipped out a pair of kunai, one in each hand and dashed forward to meet the, Naruto quickly ducked under a duel slash from Kurenai as Kiba leaped over him.

His eyes caught the reversal of Kurenai's hands as she brought the kunai back to slash Kiba. His legs shout out, blocking her oncoming wrists with his ankles. He flinched in pain. She was really strong. Kiba's clawed hand swiped downwards, blood splatter Naruto as cuts appeared on Kurenai's shoulder.

Kiba flipped before charging forward to Sakura. Kurenai made to go after him, but Naruto blurred into her path. _He likes to use his speed rather than his power, why?_

"Nuh-uh-uh, I've been itching for a rematch sensei." He smirked and held his sword in reverse as it glowed with Chakra.

Kiba sliced the ropes around his teammate, tying the bells to his own waist as she slumped forward. He shook her awake.

"Sakura! Wake up!" He jolted her. She righted herself, seeing Naruto in between them and Kurenai, and Kiba standing next to her with…..

"It seems there is no need Naruto-kun." Kurenai smiled at them. "You…"

….The bells! Sakura's thought's iced over, she saw Kiba turn to face Kurenai and lunged. Her hands wrapped around the bells and she tugged. _Yes!_ She exclaimed in her mind.

"I got them I got them! I pass!" She danced as she swung the bells in her hands. Just as the alarm clock rang…..it was Noon.


	6. New Kid on the Block

"I got them I got them! I pass!"

The leaves blew all around them as the other three stock figures stared at the girl.

_'No way!'_

_'Sh-She….!'_

_'How could she just abandon her teammates like that?'_

"Cha! I told you I didn't need your help Naruto-_Baka_! I passed on my own! And you'll both have to go back!" The bells jingled in her hands as she planted her fist on her hips. Kurenai's smile faltered as she looked at them and she grew suddenly stern.

"Come with me, _all of you_." None of them could mistake the killer intent laced in her voice as they were directed to follow her. Naruto and Kiba quickly fell into step behind her and Sakura, behind them, her smirk never wavering.

As they left the training ground, they noticed the stares of the villagers. Many glares were sent at them, mainly Naruto. Sakura saw this as a sign, that even the village common new of her victory against him.

Kurenai however wanted to lash out at them. _How dare they?_ _This boy, this genin, has the capacity to be so amazing!_ She couldn't understand. She couldn't connect with the feelings of the villagers. Her father had died during the Kyuubi attack, but she could never hold it against him. But maybe that was because she was a shinobi, that didn't pardon the other shinobi that hated him.

She led them along the crowded main street which lead directly to the Central tower of the village. Along the way the saw the familiar faces of Iruka-sensei as well as Team Eight. Sakura jumped at the chance to make herself look good before Sasuke, but Kurenai sped behind her.

"Move it!" The voice was quiet, but strong. It was almost a yell hidden in a whisper. "Go up to Hokage-sama's office. I'll meet you there." Her voice held well contained anger, one that only the sensei of Team Eight could detect.

"Go home and train you three, be at the Tower at 8:30 a.m. sharp." Hinata and Shino nodded taking off to their respective compounds. Sasuke looked to protest, but quickly left at the sharp glare of his Sensei.

"What happened?" Kakashi's book went away, and his eye grew serious.

"They work well together, most of them at least. Naruto and Kiba were able to discern the true meaning of the test. They even attempted to work together."

"Attempted? And what about Sakura?" Kakashi raised a hidden eye-brow and Kurenai sucked in a ragged breath.

"Kiba and Naruto work well enough, but Sakura didn't even want to accept help from Naruto. She even went as far as to steal _both_ not just one bell from Kiba who had only just rescued her. The gall of that wretched girl." Crescent cuts broke the skin of her palms as her fists clenched tightly.

"You're going to go to Hokage-sama. Get her license revoked." It wasn't a question. That was _exactly_ what she was going to do. "You're not going to be able to. Councilman Haruno won't let you. She may not have any sway in the Shinobi side of life, hell she's still in jail for pissing off Hokage-sama. But in order to maintain harmony between the civilians and the Shinobi in this village, Hokage-sama will have no choice but to let her retain her license."

Kurenai let out a sigh. She knew he was right. But she had to try.

"The most you'll be able to get is the girl reassigned." She gave a solemn nod. "Want me to come?"

"Yes please."

**_Knock_****_Knock_**_!_

Sarutobi looked up from the paperwork that lay on his desk and opened his mouth to reply but-

"Jiji!" The loud voice invited itself in as the blonde opened the door followed by his teammates.

"Hm? Naruto-kun? Shouldn't you be with your sense-"

"Hokage-sama." Ahhh there she is.

"Kurenai-chan." He gave her a nod. "Kakashi-kun?"

"Kurenai asked for my presence Hokage-sama." Sarutobi nodded, this was a serious manner.

"Report."

"Team Seven...Partially Passes." Kurenai droned.

"Partially? Explain."

"I gave the bell test, I'm sure you're familiar with the true test?" Her demeanor relaxed slightly as she spoke to him. Well, he did devise the test based loosely of his own sensei's test.

"Yes of course. The problem?"

"Both Naruto Uzumaki and Kiba Inuzuka were able to figure out the test. Rather quickly if I do say so myself." She proudly stated. "However, Haruno Sakura refused help from both Uzumaki and Inuzuka. I had incapacitated her and had hoped that near the end of the test. She would see the help she would need and stand by her teammates."

"Ne! Kurenai-sensei! I got the bells though! That was the task you gave us!" Sakura protest vehemently.

"It doesn't matter Sakura! As a Shinobi you must look underneath the underneath!" Kurenai whirled around face her. Her eyes and face cold and hardened. Kakashi smiled behind her as she quoted him, even if the genin had no idea of it.

"But-"

"No Sakura! In order to be a Shinobi you need to learn the values of team work as in Konoha our basic code revolves around working in harmony to a new dawn!" By this Sakura was cowering before the older woman, tears streaking down her face. Kurenai turned back to Sarutobi. "Hokage-sama, I know you can't revoke her license." Sakura let out a gasp, was she not going to be allowed to ever be a Shinobi? "And now that I think about it, it might not be fair to her. But I do request she receive remedial training, or at the very least, a sensei that is more adequate to her needs."

She received a nod from the old Hokage. Kurenai turned to kneel on one knee in front of the crying girl.

"Sakura." Green tear filled eyes look back at her, a hint of fear dyed in them. "I know I'm being hard on you, but you need to learn. The world of Shinobi will not be as forgiving as we are, it will never be even close." She smiled kindly at the girl. "You have potential, I know you do. But until you learn, I cannot teach you." She smiled as the girl digested the information and nodded. She knew her message hit home. Knowing she had no more left to say she stood and turned the face her leader. "Hokage-sama. I formally request the replacement of Haruno Sakura from Team Seven."

* * *

"Settle down everybody settle down!" She yelled over the loud chattering of the senior academy students. Their last year caused them to be rather chaotic. Her eye twitched..."**SETTLE DOWN YOU WORTHLESS MAGGOTS BEFORE I TURN YOU INTO** **DUST!**"

...Ahh Silence.

Reichi Izanami sat peacefully into her seat at the front of the class, her personality a complete one eighty.

"Class today is the first day of your last year at this academy. After this year, there will be no more second chances, you will be Shinobi!" Classmen smirked and grinned. "You will be the pride and joy of this village!" Smirks grew wider. "**BUT NOT IF YOU ALL ACT LIKE DUMB BRATS!**" Heads hit desks an sweat dropped. Sometimes the students wondered if having a pregnant lady as a sensei was a good choice on the administrations part. She smiled sweetly at them all. "Good." She said to the class, "Now many of you-"

**_Knock Knock!_**

"Hm? Come in!" She said curiously to the door as an Anbu operator phased into existence before her. The students "Oohed" at the Shinobi before them, who quickly leaned forward to whisper to her. She turned her ear to hear the message and nodded with wide-eyes.

"Yuuhi Kai!" The particular student looked up to the class sensei. "You are to report to the Hokage-sama with Anbu escort." Whispers rang out in the class. "You are being assigned to a Shinobi squad."

"WHAT? WHY DOES KAI GET A TEAM! THIS IS HIS FIRST YEAR AS A SENIOR!" Sato Shinji cried out from his seat in the back. His team had failed their genin test the day before and he immediately jumped into another class as to not fall behind. His father was in a rage. As the son of a Councilmember, albeit a civilian one, he should have done better. Should have easily passed the genin test. Now this random grunt gets a chance at the big leagues before him? He wouldn't let it go down.

"Yuuhi Kai has the personal recommendation of the Hokage." Izanami glared at the boy. "If you feel you are more deserving, than defeat Kai."

Shinji smirked getting to his feet, no way this _underclassman_ was going to beat him. He had a full year's- His face exploded in pain as his head collided with the desk in front of him. A knee to the gut made his pop a few feet into the air and he felt a hand grasp his face and force him back, smashing his head on the desk behind him.

As he slumped against the desk he saw the blurry figure of Kai walking towards the Anbu and the duo promptly left before he finally passed out.

Kai and the Anbu jumped from roof to roof.

'_A team! I'm so excited!'_ Kai thought. _'I wonder who my teammates will be, will they expect me to call them sempai? _

As they arrived at the door to the Hokage-sama's office, the Anbu next to guy disappeared in a _shunshin_, '_Probably back to his post'_ Kai thought.

_They're older and probably wiser than I…Yeah I'll call them sempai'_ Kai thought as a voice carried through the door.

"Aw maaan we're getting another guy? How La-"

* * *

"…Request the replacement of Haruno Sakura from Team Seven."

"Very well." Sarutobi gave a nod and summoned an Anbu with the twitch of his fingers. "Tora, escort Sakura-chan home and bring me this student." He handed a thick folder to the Anbu Operator who quickly appeared behind Sakura and led her out.

"What about us sensei?" Naruto asked the raven-haired woman who's eyes were turned to the door her former student had just passed through.

"Both you and Kiba showed excellent teamwork. Not only did you work together, you even tried to rescue Sakura, who rejected your help before. Both of you together will go so far." She said, smiling proudly at the two.

"Sensei please don't say things like that….." Naruto bashfully scratched the back of his head.

"Naruto it's tru-"

"….It makes us sound gay." Sarutobi let out a stifle at Kurenai's twitching eyebrow. For moments she simply blinked at the boy. Kiba looked on in horror.

_**CRUSH!**_

Kurenai's fist and crashed onto Naruto's head.

"BAKA! I DIDN'T MEAN IT LIKE THAT!" Naruto comically danced around the room clutching his head screaming.

"Oi, Sensei, if we're getting a new teammate, who would we bet getting?" Kiba's inquiry cause both Naruto and Kurenai to freeze. They both looked to Sarutobi.

"Hokage-sama?" Kurenai looked intently at him. To which he only smiled. Kurenai seemed to come to an epiphany. "No…you can't!"

"Kurenai, Kai is more than re-"

"NO! Our Tou-san forbid Kai from graduating early!"

"Wait! wait! wait! Kai?"

"Yes Kiba-kun, Kai-"

"Aw maaan we're getting another guy? How La-"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A GUY? BAKAYARŌ!"

_**CRASH!**_ Kiba's body smashed through the floor as a girl that shared a striking resemblance to their sensei. She stood fierce, her fist pumped, a fierce glare raining down on Kiba from burning red eyes. She wore a fishnet undershirt over it a white sleeveless top which showed her mesh covered midriff. She had on a simple pair of form-fitting short shorts…..something Kurenai clearly didn't like.

"HM?" She was quite offensively staring down Kiba, who quickly scrambled away, stammering on his words.

"I-Uh, nyauhmHahah ahh…." The girl smirked as she suddenly stood at attention facing the Hokage.

"Yuuhi Kai reporting Hokage-sama."

"Isn't Kai a guy's name?" Naruto appeared whispering in Sarutobi's ear.

"_What was that?_" Her words bled out through her gritted teeth. She didn't even move, her aura just darkened considerably. Naruto paled and he blanched.

"Naruto-kun, Kai-_chan_ will be joining your team from now on."

* * *

"Sooo….Introductions huh? Heh Heh." Naruto grinned a fearful one. Well when one tries to be welcoming, hiding behind Kurenai-sensei doesn't really help….then again Kiba hiding behind him didn't help any better. A day after their rather, whirlwind formation, they formed together at Training Ground Seven once again.

"Just begin your introduction imouto." Kurenai smiled, even if she didn't like the idea of her _baby_ sister accelerated into the ninja program, it was still amusing to see both Naruto and Kiba, two alphas, cowering behind her in fear of Kai.

"Okay! Yuuhi Kai! I like Ninjutsu, training with my Onee-chan, and dango! I dislike perverts, fan-girls, and guys who _mistake me for a boy_….." Kurenai could swear she heard Naruto and Kiba whimper behind her. Kurenai giggled. "My dreams, well, I haven't really thought about it, I mainly just focused on graduating the academy and avoiding as many civilian guys as I could. They're all rather slobbish."

"So wait, you're Kurenai-sensei….Baby sister?" Naruto asked from behind Kurenai. Kai glared at him.

"Yeup, she's my little sister."

"But, you're so nice and she's-"

"She's ….._what?"_ Naruto turned to see Kai once again surrounded by a dark aura, glaring at him.

"Alright you three focus." Naruto and Kiba knew time to goof is over. They leapt forward, standing tall, both slightly taller than Kai, something she wasn't particularly pleased about. "As you know, Team Seven faced a test of teamwork yesterday. However, with a new teammate we need a new test."

Kiba and Naruto raised eyebrows at each other.

"Another Bell-test would be…somewhat redundant and frankly quite…stupid, so I've asked-"

"We're not late are we?"

Kurenai's lips thinned and her eyes closed composing her self. She sighed, collecting her mind. She looked up, slightly annoyed, to see a tall figure followed by three shorter figures entering the grounds.

"Sempai, how is it the one time I expect you to be late, you're _early_?"

"We did run into an old lady who needed some assistance."

"Don't make me kill you."

"Mah, mah, Kurenai, relax. We're here."

"Kakashi-sensei?" Kakashi looked down at his genin.

"Yes Shino?"

"Who is that girl? She looks like Kurenai-san."

"She's Sakura's replacement."

"Why was Haruno-san replaced?" Hinata looked up at Kakashi, waiting for an answer.

"Hokage-sama felt, that she needed more…specialized training."

"Why does she receive such training and _I_ don't?" Sasuke snorted, "Maybe you aren't such a great sensei if Sakura gets training."

"Sasuke, Sakura's getting a type of remedial training. In fact it's a step back for she can take two steps forward." This didn't do much to appease him however, as he still crossed his arms and glared at Naruto. He was still sore about getting his ass handed to him, Naruto noticed.

In Sasuke's mind, there was no way someone like Naruto could beat him. Kakashi had his team walk forward to face Team Seven.

The two teams faced each other, Naruto staring down Sasuke, Kiba facing Shino, and Kai smirking at Hinata, who blushed and glanced at Naruto several times, widening Kai's smirk.

"You six, will spar." Kakashi's voice was stern, it seemed to gain power with each word he spoke.

A war game. Naruto smiled inwardly, his mind already combing out strategies and advantages vs. disadvantages. Team Seven knew the layout of Training Ground Seven. Team Eight was a Tracking squad. Espionage wasn't their forte but it would certainly come into play. However, a frontal assault would leave them open, especially against a Frontline team like Team Seven. Shit was about to go down.

"You will work as a unit. Fight as a team." Fists curled and eyebrows furled. "You team. It's your _family_!" Smirks formed. "And in life, _family_. Is. King." Kakashi and Kurenai both disappeared. Their voices however lingered in the air. "BEGIN!"

* * *

…**Ohkay, 5 second cliffhanger's over, you guys can keep reading now.**

* * *

"Alright so what's the plan?"

"I dunno I thought you had a plan!"

"As if! I've been a genin for a day! You've been a genin for a week!"

"So?"

Sasuke lay flat against the tree branch, this was so stupid, a complete waste of time. Those dumbasses, there were just sitting out in the open, practically inviting him to come and kill them. It never settle in his mind that he wasn't _supposed_ to kill them. Either way, he wins, right?

_Uma! Tora! Mi! Tora! Saru! I! Uma! Tora!_

"_**Katon! Gokakyuu no Jutsu!**__"_ The three crouched figures jumped but were suddenly engulfed in a fireball. Sasuke smirked as he landed near the smoldering bodies. "Heh, too easy, I would have had more trouble fighting a-"

Sasuke was cut off as a fist came careening into his cheek, launching him into a tree. Where he once stood was a hooded figure, the figure he recognized as Naruto. Snarling, Sasuke got to his feet.

"Face me head on you coward!" Sasuke yelled at him, the ground beneath his feet rumbling. He looked down, shocked, as a tornado flew out at his face. Sasuke jumped back allowing the tornado to miss him by mere inches. The tornado slowed and landed on a tree branch off to the side. _Kiba._

"You'll have to do better than that dobe!"

_**SMASH!**_ Two feminine hands grabbed the back of his collar and slammed him onto the ground, _hard_. _Kai._ He groaned, both in anger and in pain and looked up. _That stupid girl who the hell does she think she's messing with._

"You can't beat me! Not even an army of you could beat me!" He snarled at them.

"It's kind of stupid to yell at us when you're down don't you think?" She quipped at him. _She was insulting him! HIM! Of all people, oh there would be hell to pay._ His world darkened as a fist blocked the light of the world as it smashed his face.

* * *

"Anyone feel like that was too easy?" Kai asked as she lay the now bound and gagged Sasuke against a tree.

"…kinda, I expected more, especially from the oh so great, _'last Uchiha'._" Kiba said from his perch on the same tree. "You don't think it was a trap do you?"

"**Nah, Sasuke doesn't play well with others, plus if it was a trap, he'd never be the bait, it's 'too far beneath him'.**" Naruto sat on the ground, his hood still raised, Kai grew frustrated to no end by him.

"Would you like, stop using that goddamn hood? It's seriously creepy!" She yelled at him, a vein bulging on her forehead.

"**Kai, that's sort of the point, Shinobi, remember?**"

"Just, lay off for a bit, alright?" Naruto, tilted his head in acknowledgement and pulled off his hood. His blue/red eyes seemed to glow. It made Kai shiver before she continued. "We need to find Hinata and Shino."

"Problem is though, Hinata's a taijutsu type, perfect match against Naruto. I have no idea what the hell Shino is though." Kiba said, falling off the branch only to land on his feet and join Naruto and Kai.

It seemed that none of them noticed Sasuke waken and begin to work furiously, yet stealthily, on his binds. He was almost free, just another couple seconds.

"Do you think the both of you together could take him?" Naruto said, raising an eyebrow to both of them, receiving nods in return. "Alright but fir**st things first.**" Naruto said pulling his hood back on. He quickly spun around, a round house kick slammed Sasuke directly on the temple, knocking him to the ground unconscious. "**Kami that felt good.**"

His teammates let out stifles as the took off into the forest, Kiba taking point, tracking for scents of Hinata and Shino followed by Kai then Naruto.

* * *

"Do you think Sasuke-kun's alright?" Hinata said leaning crouched against a tree.

"I'm sure he's fine Hinata-san." Shino adjusted his glasses and looked around. "He was quite confident in his abilities to handle Kurenai-san's team."

"Yes bu-but, Naruto-kun. And Kiba-kun."

"Hinata. I'm sure he's fine. For now, please use your byakugan, see if you can locate Team Seven." Hinata nodded, and with a quick hand sign, the veins around her eyes bulged and she focused.

"Shino-kun, I think I-RIGHT BEHIND US!" She cried out, rotating around and leaping away from the tree as a tornado tore it from its roots.

Kiba landed on all fours as his face was molded into cold indifference, staring down the remnants of Team Eight. To their four o'clock, Naruto stood on a raised tree branch, arms crossed. Eight o'clock, Kai stood stock straight, a kunai out at the ready.

Seconds ticked by as the genin faced off against one another. Words were unneeded, this was battle. Talking wasted time, and time wasted got you killed.

Without warning Team Seven charged forward, Naruto flipping over Hinata, trying to give her a quick chop to the neck, only to find her wrist blocking his strike.

Kiba and Kai charged at Shino, dancing in and out of weaves, avoiding swarms of Shino's insects whilst delivering and blocking blows.

_**Swing!**_

Naruto spun, his arm lashing out at Hinata's midsection. Hinata deflected it, bringing it up and over her head and thrust a palm at Naruto's shoulder.

_**Block!**_

Blows traded, both trying to get the upper hand. Naruto spun, his style more rotations and flips, Hinata's graceful and fluid. Each block each spin was met in duel. Naruto brought his body to the forest floor, a sweep launched at Hinata's ankles, only for her to leap over his leg and flip into an ax kick.

Naruto's arms quickly crossed and were brought up to block. Hinata sped up, her speed as a Hyuuga coming into play as she launched strike after strike. However, only one got through. Naruto grunted as a powerful Juuken strike collided with his shoulder. His chakra path instantly reopened by used of a seal, but he was completely on the defensive now.

Naruto's eyes pulsed, as the foggy haze of red sharpened into red blades contrasting in a blue sea. The world slowed, and now they were matched. Fist punched away palm strike, Palm pushed away kick. Dead even.

Another Juuken strike went through, hitting Naruto once again in the same shoulder. He winced in pain as his fist flew forward. Hinata let out a heavy grunt as she faltered, a powerful blow colliding with her side, launching her slightly. It was an opening that would fall her. Naruto vanished in a blur, appearing behind Hinata whose mind focused on the pain, failed to capture his innate speed. He laced his arms under hers and wrapped his hands behind her back, cutting off blood to her head. He wrapped his legs around hers, locking them as well as forcing them to the floor.

She struggled and twitched, grunted and whined. But soon she limped, unconscious. Naruto's limbs fell off her as he panted and softly roller her off of him and onto the ground. He looked up to see Kai and Kiba dragging a similarly unconscious and bound Shino over. Together, the trio tiredly walked over to a tree and slumped against it, Kiba and Kai, with Naruto in the middle. The three smiled, and began to laugh, labored through exhaustion, but laughed none the less, Kai, so tired that she slouched onto Naruto, who smiled slightly and leaned on her as well. Kiba wanted to roll his eyes and say something snarky, but knew to do against that inclination.

"**We did it.**"

"Take that fucking hood off before I kill you."

"**Potty-mouth….**"

"Fuck you."


End file.
